I have to say though that as often as we eat pizza (always homemade...never delivery)...I've never found a crust recipe that tastes amazing and is worth repeating. Traveling to Italy and eating pizza literally everyday there may have upped our standards a tad:) Valarosos Italian Market in Kelowna has phenomenal fresh crusts that you can pick up and make your own...but that's not always convenient...and sometimes you just want to make it yourself...or atleast I do!
One blogger I follow is always talking about pizza...and recently she caved and decided to stray from her standard simple crust recipe and try this 18 hour crust. She could not stop talking about it!! I figured to had to give it a whirl!! 18 hours sounds tedious...but it's actually really simple. You mix the 3 ingredients the night before...cover it...and don't touch it again til an hour before you're ready for dinner!! Could it get easier? No kneeding....no rushing to get home 3 hours before dinner time to start your dough process....I'm hooked.
This recipe makes 3 pizzas...we ate all 3:) Did I mention Levi loves his peeta??!!
Disclaimer...photos were taken with an oven mitt on one hand and a spelt flour-covered iphone in the other hand...know what I mean?...all sauce and toppings were put on by a 2 year old and 4 year old, hence the little piles of black olives:)
First one is a standard for us...sauce (just crushed tomatoes..that's how they roll in Italy), spinach, some olives, chicken breast and buffalo mozzarella.
Second one is sauce with some of the pesto we brought back from Cinque Terre, Italy...slowly rationing it out:). With more of the same toppings from above. (side note...a few months ago I found the identical pesto that we bought in Cinque Terre...at Homesense!!!???...pesto was invented in Cinque Terre...it's amazing. Needless to say I bought them out that day!)
Third one is a summer time fav of mine. BBQ Chicken! Mix some of your favourite bbq sauce with tomato sauce...spread on pizza. Then add chicken, caramelized onions (I didn't take the time for this...you should though!), red peppers, spinach and buffalo mozzarella...roasted garlic is also amazing!
18 Hour Pizza
Ingredients
3 3/4 cups of flour (I used Spelt)
2 tsp sea salt
1/4 tsp active dry yeast
Directions
Night before...put all ingredients in a large bowl. Slowly stir in 1 1/2 cups of water. I found I needed to add about 1/2 cup more water...likely because I used Spelt. Cover with plastic wrap and let rise. This should be done at room temperature and will take around 18 hours. It’s ready when the dough’s size has about doubled and it’s surface is covered with small bubbles.
Next day...about an hour before dinner. Flour work surface and move dough to begin gently shaping it into a rectangle shape. Divide it into three equally sized portions and work on each portion individually. One portion at a time, create four folds by gathering the four corners together. Turn dough upside down and gently shape into a ball; dust with flour, set aside and work on remaining portions.
Cover again with plastic wrap and let rise for about another hour (use this time to get all your toppings ready!) It can be made up to this point 2-3 days ahead and kept in the refrigerator.
Preheat your oven to 550 degrees.
Once ready, take each ball and roll them out using generous amounts of flour. Add toppings. Bake on well floured or corn meal covered baking sheet or pizza stone. This site has some great tips on different baking methods. I tried their pizza stone method...it's truly the only way to go! The crust bottom was crisp and light while the toppings were bubbly and perfectly broiled...mmm.
HUGE thanks to Katie at Yes, I Want Cake! You're welcome to come over for pizza anytime!
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